bird neighbors-第7章

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BIRDS　CONSPICUOUSLY　BLACK

COMMON　CROW

（Corvus　americanus）　Crow　family

Called　also：　CORN　THIEF；　＇AMERICAN　CROW；　AOU　1998＇

Length　　16　to　17。50　inches。　Male　　Glossy　black　with　violet　reflections。　Wings　appear　　　saw…toothed　when　spread；　and　almost　equal　the　tail　in　length。　Female　　Like　male；　except　that　the　black　is　less　brilliant。　Range　　Throughout　North　America；　from　Hudson　Bay　to　the　Gulf　of　Mexico。　Migrations　　March。　October。　Summer　and　winter　resident。

If　we　have　an　eye　for　the　picturesque；　we　place　a　certain　value　upon　the　broad；　strong　dash　of　color　in　the　landscape；　given　by　a　flock　of　crows　flapping　their　course　above　a　corn…field；　against　an　October　sky；　but　the　practical　eye　of　the　farmer　looks　only　for　his　gun　in　such　a　case。　To　him　the　crow　is　an　unmitigated　nuisance；　all　the　more　maddening　because　it　is　clever　enough　to　circumvent　every　means　devised　for　its　ruin。　Nothing　escapes　its　rapacity；　fear　is　unknown　to　it。　It　migrates　in　broad　daylight；　chooses　the　most　conspicuous　perches；　and　yet　its　assurance　is　amply　justified　in　its　steadily　increasing　numbers。

In　the　very　early　spring；　note　well　the　friendly　way　in　which　the　crow　follows　the　plow；　ingratiating　itself　by　eating　the　larvae；　field　mice；　and　worms　upturned　in　the　furrows；　for　this　is　its　one　serviceable　act　throughout　the　year。　When　the　first　brood　of　chickens　is　hatched；　its　serious　depredations　begin。　Not　only　the　farmer's　young　fledglings；　ducks；　turkeys；　and　chicks；　are　snatched　up　and　devoured；　but　the　nests　of　song　birds　are　made　desolate；　eggs　being　crushed　and　eaten　on　the　spot；　when　there　are　no　birds　to　carry　off　to　the　rickety；　coarse　nest　in　the　high　tree　top　in　the　woods。　The　fish　crow；　however；　is　the　much　greater　enemy　of　the　birds。　Like　the　common　crows；　this；　their　smaller　cousin；　likes　to　congregate　in　winter　along　the　seacoast　to　feed　upon　shell…fish　and　other　sea…food　that　the　tide　brings　to　its　feet。

Samuels　claims　to　have　seen　a　pair　of　crows　visit　an　orchard　and　destroy　the　young　in　two　robins'　nests　in　half　an　hour。　He　calculates　that　two　crows　kill；　in　one　day　alone；　young　birds　that　in　the　course　of　the　season　would　have　eaten　a　hundred　thousand　insects。　When；　in　addition　to　these　atrocities；　we　remember　the　crow's　depredations　in　the　corn…field；　it　is　small　wonder　that　among　the　first　laws　enacted　in　New　York　State　was　one　offering　a　reward　for　its　head。　But　the　more　scientific　agriculturists　now　concede　that　the　crow　is　the　farmer's　true　friend。


FISH　CROW　（Corvus　ossifragus）　Crow　family

Length　　14　to　16　inches。　About　half　as　large　again　as　the　　　robin。　Male　and　Female　　Glossy　black；　with　purplish…blue　reflections；　　　generally　greener　underneath。　Chin　naked。　Range　　Along　Atlantic　coast　and　that　of　the　Gult　of　Mexico；　　　northward　to　southern　New　England。　Rare　stragglers　or）　the　　　Pacific　coast。　Migrations　　March　or　April。　September。　Summer　resident　only　at　　　northern　limit　of　range。　Is　found　in　Hudson　River　valley　about　　　half…way　to　Albany。

Compared　with　the　common　crow；　with　which　it　is　often　confounded；　the　fish　crow　is　of　much　smaller；　more　slender　build。　Thus　its　flight　is　less　labored　and　more　like　a　gull's；　whose　habit　of　catching　fish　that　may　be　swimming　near　the　surface　of　the　water　it　sometimes　adopts。　Both　Audubon　and　Wilson；　who　first　made　this　species　known；　record　its　habit　of　snatching　food　as　it　flies　over　the　southern　waters　　a　rare　practice　at　the　north。　Its　plumage；　too；　differs　slightly　from　the　common　crow's　in　being　a　richer　black　everywhere；　and　particularly　underneath；　where　the　〃corn　thief〃　is　dull。　But　it　is　the　difference　between　the　two　crows'　call…note　that　we　chiefly　depend　upon　to　distinguish　these　confusing　cousins。　To　say　that　the　fish　crow　says　car…r…r　instead　of　a　loud；　clear　caw；　means　little　until　we　have　had　an　opportunity　to　compare　its　hoarse；　cracked　voice　with　the　other　bird's　familiar　call。

From　the　farmer's　point　of　view；　there　is　still　another　distinction：　the　fish　crow　lets　his　crops　alone。　It　contents　itself　with　picking　up　refuse　on　the　shores　of　the　sea　or　rivers　not　far　inland；　haunting　the　neighborhood　of　fishermen's　huts　for　the　small　fish　discarded　when　the　seines　are　drawn；　and　treading　out　with　its　toes　the　shell…fish　hidden　in　the　sand　at　low　tide。　When　we　see　it　in　the　fields　it　is　usually　intent　upon　catching　field…mice；　grubs；　and　worms；　with　which　it　often　varies　its　fish　diet。　It　is；　however；　the　worst　nest　robber　we　have；　it　probably　destroys　ten　times　as　many　eggs　and　young　birds　as　its　larger　cousin。

The　fishermen　have　a　tradition　that　this　southern　crow　comes　and　goes　with　the　shad　and　herring　　a　saw　which　science　unkindly　disapproves。


AMERICAN　RAVEN

（Corvus　corax　principalis）　Crow　family

Called　also：　NORTHERN　RAVEN；　＇COMMON　RAVEN；　AOU　1998＇

Length　　26　to　27　inches。　Nearly　three　times　as　large　as　a　　　robin。　Male　and　Female　　Glossy　black　above；　with　purplish　and　greenish　　　reflections。　Duller　underneath。　Feathers　of　the　throat　and　　　breast　long　and　loose；　like　fringe。　Range　　North　America；　from　polar　regions　to　Mexico。　Rare　along　　　Atlantic　coast　and　in　the　south。　Common　in　the　west；　and　very　　　abundant　in　the　northwest。　Migrations　　An　erratic　wanderer；　usually　resident　where　it　　　finds　its　way。

The　weird；　uncanny　voice　of　this　great　bird　that　soars　in　wide　circles　above　the　evergreen　trees　of　dark　northern　forests　seems　to　come　out　of　the　skies　like　the　malediction　of　an　evil　spirit。　Without　uttering　the　words　of　any　language　　Poe's　〃Nevermore〃　was；　of　course；　a　poetic　license　　people　of　all　nationalities　appear　to　understand　that　some　dire　calamity；　some　wicked　portent；　is　being　announced　every　time　the　unbirdlike　creature　utters　its　rasping　call。　The　superstitious　folk　crow　with　an　〃I　told　you　so；〃　as　they　solemnly　wag　their　heads　when　they　hear；　of　some　death　in　the　village　after　〃the　bird　of　ill…omen〃　has　made　an　unwelcome　visit　to　the　neighborhoodit　receives　the　blame　for　every　possible　misfortune。

When　seen　in　the　air；　the　crow　is　the　only　other　bird　for　which　the　raven　could　be　mistaken；　but　the　raven　does　more　sailing　and　less　flapping；　and　he　delights　in　describing　circles　as　he　easily　soars　high　above　the　trees。　On　the　ground；　he　is　seen　to　be　a　far　larger　bird　than　the　largest　crow。　The　curious　beard　or　fringe　of　feathers　on　his　breast　at　once　distinguishes　him。

These　birds　show　the　family　instinct　for　living　in　flocks　large　and　small；　not　of　ravens　only；　but　of　any　birds　of　their　own　genera。　In　the　art　of　nest　building　they　could　instruct　most　of　their　relatives。　High　up　in　evergreen　trees　or　on　the　top　of　cliffs；　never　very　near　the　seashore；　they　make　a　compact；　symmetrical　nest　of　sticks；　neatly　lined　with　grasses　and　wool　from　the　sheep　pastures；　adding　soft；　comfortable　linings　to　the　old　nest　from　year　to　year　for　each　new　brood。　When　the　young　emerge　from　the　eggs；　which　take　many　curious　freaks　of　color　and　markings；　they　are　pied　black　and　white；　suggesting　the　young　of　the　western　white…necked　raven；　a　similarity　which；　so　far　as　plumage　is　concerned；　they　quickly　outgrow。　They　early　acquire　the　fortunate　habit　of　eating　whatever　their　parents　set　before　them　　　grubs；　worms；　grain；　field…mice；　anything；　in　fact；　for　the　raven　is　a　conspicuously　omnivorous　bird。


PURPLE　GRACKLE　（Quiscalus　quiscula）　Blackbird　family

Called　also：　CROW　BLACKBIRD；　MAIZE　THIEF；　KEEL…TAILED　GRACKLE；　　　＇COMMON　GRACKLE；　AOU　1998＇

Length　　12　to　13　inches。　About　one…fourth　as　large　again　as　the　　　robin。　Male　　Iridescent　black；　in　which　metallic　violet；　blue；　copper；　　　and　green　tints　predominate。　The　plumage　of　this　grackle　has　　　iridescent　bars。　Iris　of　eye　bright　yellow　and　conspicuous。　　　Tail　longer　than　wings。　Female　　Less　brilliant　black　than　male；　and　smaller。　Range　　Gulf　of　Mexico　to　57th　parallel　north　latitude。　　Migrations　　Permanent　resident　in　Southern　States。　Few　are　　　permanent　throughout　range。　Migrates　in　immense　flocks　in　March　　　and　September。

This　〃refined　crow〃　（which　is　really　no　crow　at　all　except　in　appearance）　has　scarcely　more　friends　than　a　thief　is　entitled　to；　for；　although　in　many　sections　of　the　country　it　has　given　up　its　old　habit　of　stealing　Indian　corn　and　substituted　rav